The invention relates to leaf accessory holders, and in particular to leaf accessory holders otherwise known as mechanical xe2x80x9cwindowingxe2x80x9d devices which can be positioned into multiple locations while still attached to a host. The new elements of the invention are a morphable leaf, which leaf itself has joined functional portions for allowing the transformation of the leaf into a multi-position device, said morphing leaf formed as a planar multi-sided structure comprising both the mounting leaf portion and the orientation leaf portion, where both the mounting leaf and the orientation leaf can be positioned into a first position to lie flat, in the same plane, and further where the orientation leaf portion can be rotationally repositioned by 180 degrees into a second location substantially adjacent itself.
This invention relates to the formation of windowing devices having mounting surfaces and orientation panels, as detailed for example, in xe2x80x9chypertext book attachmentxe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,043 filed Mar 16, 1989, by patent holder, the one and same, David C. Schwartz. This prior art provides a working definition of windowing, to provide further clarification of the field of art for the object of invention of this application. Windowing devices are defined as devices that xe2x80x9ccan be folded into the (book on either side while retaining the same orientation of the mounting surface. This property, enabled by the orientation flap, permits retention of the orientation of the mounting surface in a plurality of positions, not only with respect to a host book but with respect to different positions of the mounting surface itself, and enables the property referred to earlier as windowingxe2x80x9d.
Further more, this invention relates specifically to windowing leaf structures, as in xe2x80x9cwindowing leaf structurexe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,231 filed Nov. 23, 1992, by patent holder, the one and same, David C. Schwartz, where, to provide further clarification as to the general nature of the behavior of such windowing leaf structures. Using this patent, one skilled in the art would know the quoted text copied herein, from portions of columns, 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 that states xe2x80x9cThe invention therefore relates to mounting surfaces that are attached to a flap that preserves the orientation of the face surface of the mounting surface in a plurality of locations, with respect to the book to which it is attached. This invention relates to binding systems . . . (having) . . . leafs with mounting surfaces which may be directly attached to a host book, it""s bindings, it""s surfaces, and or its covers, which in and of themselves provide non-sequential(non-linear) access to their mounting surfaces without needing to be removed from their attachment to the host book, it""s bindings and/or it""s surfaces, and which offer further non-linear access when physically removed from their binding and repositioned. The invention relates to the provision of such on-linear pages which possess the property hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cwindowingxe2x80x9d, the ability for the page to maintain it""s face and perimeter orientation in various positions without being removed from the host book to which they are attached, and to such pages implemented with means for semi-permanent attachment, there by offering 2 levels of non-linear access. The invention relates leaves with mounting surfaces offering semi-permanent retaining means which enable easy removal and reinsertion, and to book systems formed by combining covers, rings, and mounting surfaces according to this invention that offer highly visual means for handling information.xe2x80x9d
This invention relates to a windowing leaf attachment structure, implemented in such a manner as to be permanently attached to a binding, semi-permanently attached to a binding, and or permanently or semi-permanently attached to any surface, such as a cover, or other surfaces, such as other pages of a host book. The binding means for attaching the surface to the book may require the opening or closing of a ring mechanism for removal and repositioning.xe2x80x9d
This invention relates to windowing leaf structures having behaviors typically known to be in accordance with this class of windowing invention, where the prototypical embodiments known in the art provide at least two variations of surfaces implemented as windowing devices. xe2x80x9cOne retains its face and perimeter orientation in four positions about it""s host coupling structure while remaining attached to it""s host coupling structure. A second retains it""s face and perimeter orientation in two co-planar and substantially adjacent locations about the host coupling structure, while staying attached to the host coupling structure. Either of these may be implemented with traditional holes that fix the flap to a binding. It is preferable to implement them with the insertable holes.xe2x80x9d The four position device has a mounting surface attached to an orientation flap which is in turn attached to an extension flap. The orientation flap is attached to the extension flap via a flexible material which adds heith(clearance height) when the mounting surface is positioned to encompas interleaved sheets which might also be attached to the host book binding. The flexible material is optional. xe2x80x9cThe two position devicexe2x80x9d has a mounting surface attached to an orientation flap along a line substantially parallel to and substantially mid-way between two parallel outer edges of the mounting surface. In this variation the orientation flap has a slotted hole pattern implemented along it""s parallel edge opposing the edge bound to the mounting surface. This implementation allows for the co-planar location of the mounting surface in two positions about the binding, wherein the face and perimeter orientation of the mounting surface is preserved in both substantially adjacent locations.xe2x80x9d
It is known as a matter of prior art to one skilled in this subcategory of inventions, and by referring to at least the above two mentioned patents, that the prior art provides for a minimal set of components to construct both of the windowing devices xe2x80x9cfolded from one sheet of foldable materialxe2x80x9d, where in the construction employs two mounting surfaces, a first xe2x80x9cmounting surface is intended to receive a second mounting surface which would be placed. thereon and would carry some form of device such as a padxe2x80x9d, thereby forming a windowing device which is automatically two layers thick with the third layer formed by the add on accessory itself, see the figure included following which depicts the multiple surfaces, before attaching the third layer device such as the pad. It is known that thickness is a detriment in making accessories for binders, so the purpose of the invention herein disclosed is to form such a windowing device from a minimal construction that removes one of the two layers identified above.
The publicly known solution which is most related to this invention has an integral mounting panel comprising a substantially retangular surface to which is attached by various means, an orientation panel. The orientation panel is pivotally attached at a location between the opposing ends of the the mounting panel, allowing the mounting panel to be positioned into multiple locations. The disadvantage of this structure is that the structure has double thinkness in all positions. It is also more expensive to form the publically known structures, since these structures require a folding and sealing operation, or require assembly of sections which lie in double thinkness when coincident, one with the other. The portion of material also adds an extra step in formation and makes these embodiments more expensive to manufacture.
The invention therefore relates to leaf accessory holders, and in particular to leaf accessory holders otherwise known as mechanical xe2x80x9cwindowingxe2x80x9d devices which can be positioned into multiple locations while still attached to a host. The invention particularly relates to such leaf accessory holders where the leaf is formed itself as a multipart structure capable of providing both the mounting feature and the orientation feature in a multi-sided structure that lies in the same flat plane.
The invention further relates to a multi-section leaf which comprises a mounting leaf formed as a multi-sided portion and an orientation leaf formed as a hingedly adjoining multi-sided portion. The invention relates to the formation of this platform as an integral unit made as a stamping from a single section of pliable material. It also relates to the formation of this platform from separate pieces of material including a variety of materials and a variety of attachment structures. The invention also relates to the combination of this platform portion with other portions so as to form binders, pad holders, clip boards and the like. The invention further relates to the use of this platform as an accessory for removable attachment to a host. The invention relates to the use of this accessory platform as a permanent attachment to be separately attached to a host. The invention relates to the combination of this platform with any number of accessory cards which can be mounted into the device or which can be sold alongside the device for later assembly, inicuding postit note pads, sheets of padded papers, and cards with four corners that can be inserted into the mounting leaf portion, which cards themselves carry other accessories or are write erasable.
Further, the invention relates to an accessory which is constructed from a variety of materials. The platform may be formed in pliable plastic capable of providing a living hinge. Such plastics include polypropalene, polyethelene, and the like. In such case, the platform and its full combination can be formed from a single integral piece of material. Otherwise, the invention may be formed in aluminum with a piano hinge. It may also be molded plastic such as styrene or the like plastic with snap in mating pivotal hinge portions, or overlapping finger portions. When molded in such formable plastic or aluminum construction, or other such rigid formable material such as laminated veneer or the like, the orientation leaf portion may be formed by a frame, or the attachment edge of the orientation leaf may be pivotally connected to a host on a frame.
In particular the invention relates to a multi-sided morphable leaf platform comprising a mounting leaf portion and an orientation leaf portion. In the preferred embodiment, the invention is formed in polypropylene as a stamping from a single piece of material. The mounting leaf portion is formed in a winged U-shape with the orientation leaf formed as a substantially retangular section which is hingedly attached by a living hinge to the base of the U-shape and fits in the open portion of the U-shape, stamped out of the same leaf area to lie flat in the same plane with the morphable portion being the orientation leaf that allows the transformation of the device into a multi-postion mounting device
In accordance with the invention what is provided is a first mounting leaf portion having two insertion slots, a first slot in an upper wing portion of the mounting leaf, and a second insertion slot in a lower wing portion of the mounting leaf. The base portion of the mounting leaf has an orientation leaf hingedly attached, by way of a living hinge, to it along a pivotal hinge axis that is substantially midway between opposing edges of the mounting leaf profile. The edge opposing the living hinge, the attachment edge, has a set of holes in its binding region, preferably removably punched to attach to a set of rings in a multi-ring binder, such as in an xe2x80x9corganizerxe2x80x9d, without having to open and close the ring.
Specifically, what is provided for is a set of insertion slits that are symmetrically balanced in the mounting leaf portion, at the top and at the bottom, to allow for the insertion of the stiff backing card of a pad, such that the rigid backing card of the pad adds to the structural integrity of the combined device. A detent at the top of the mounting leaf portion is provided to permit the stapled end of the pad to slide down securely and lie colinear with the top edge of the mounting leaf portion so as not to protrude out from the top when placed into a binder. Further, the width of the mounting leaf portion is substantially a page width for a predetermined with of a page for a host book to which the platform is to be attached. The actual surface is slightly wider to allow the insertion slits to be provided without tearing out the surface. If needed, the extra edge portion central to the base portion of the mounting leaf may be cut out to allow close placement to rings when inserted into a book with rings and positioned lying flat. The orientation leaf portion is substantially one half that page width allowing for the living hinge to be appromimately mid way between opposing edges of the mounting leaf portion. This permits the mounting leaf to be positioned into coplanar locations that are substantially adjacent with respect to the pivotal reference point of the binding region of the orientation leaf portion.
Various ways can be employed to make the device, and the invention provides for the formation of the device in all of these ways and in all of the disclosed application specific combinations.
The formation of the orientation leaf in the same plane as the mounting leaf and from the same perimeter panel of material allows for the formation of a minimalist construction using the least material possible to form the morphing leaf allows for the formation of such a platform in which both the mounting leaf and the orientation leaf lie in exactly the same plane, yielding the flatest formation of such device possible.
The following reference to two versus four position refers to the number of positions that the mounting leaf portion can be placed in while retaining the same orientation of the upper most or top face of the mounting leaf.
In accordance with invention what is provided for is a two position mounting leaf attachable along the attachment edge of an orientation panel having a binding region with holes.
A four position mounting leaf attachable along an extention leaf to a binder at a spine of such a binder.
A binder morphing leaf combination where said morphing leaf is attached along an outer edge of a cover of said binder.
A pad holder morphing leaf combination where said morphing leaf is attached at a spine of a folio having a front cover attached to the same spine.
A morphing leaf having a mounting leaf portion with at least two diagonally opposing diagonal mounting slots.
A morphing leaf having a mounting leaf portion with a pen holder loop a part thereof.
A morphing leaf having a living hinge formed between said mounting leaf and said orientation leaf in polypropylene with a single knife cut. Said morphing leaf having a living hinge formed in polypropylene with a single knife cut and aperture cuts. Said morphing leaf having a living hinge formed in polypropylene with multiple knife cut. Said morphing leaf having a living hinge formed in polypropylene with a single knife cut. Said morphing leaf having a living hinge formed in polypropylene with a stamping pressing having a spread middle.
A morphing leaf where the binding region of the attachment edge is formed as a set of interleaving finger clasps.
A morphing leaf formed from metal where the living hinge between the mounting leaf and the orientation leaf is formed as a piano hinge.
A mounting leaf having sheared surfaces so as to offset the insertion slits from the base portion of the mounting leaf to permit easier insertion of a backing card from an accessory.
A morphing leaf platform having a mounting leaf and an orientation leaf formed from two separately attachable pieces of material.
A morphing leaf platform having said orientation leaf portion formed in a wire frame. A Morphing leaf platform having said orientation leaf portion formed as a snap in section of plastic.
A morphing leaf platform formed with only one wing section and an orientation leaf. Such a formation may be constructed using all of the above mentioned means of construction.
A morphing leaf platform having a mounting leaf with clip attachment devices attached thereto.
A morphing leaf having the attachment edge of the orientation leaf hingedly attached to a rolling hinge. The rolling hinge of such a morphing leaf where the hinge is comprised of a set of knife cut or laser cut living hinges. The rolling hinge of such a morphing leaf having an aperture therein. The rolling hinge of such a morphing leaf where the rolling hinge comprises two rolling strips.
A morphing leaf having a rolling hinge and an attachment strip for attaching to a host book by bonding or by adhesive or other similar or like permanent attachment means.
A morphing leaf platform having a pocket formed on its top surface for top insertion of an accessory card.